How has Ronnie Wood’s drink and drug-addled past not affected his health?

Many wonder how Ronnie Wood has managed to get away with no obvious health effects from his drink and drug-addled past

At the ripe age of 69, Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood still manages to tour the world, raise his baby twin daughters and keep up with a third wife who is half his age. 

His drink and drug-addled past appear to have no effect on his health. How does he do it?

According to his daughter, model and personality Leah, the family secret is healthy eating, happiness and alternative health remedies.

In an exclusive for the MailOnline, Leah reveals that the Wood family are big supporters of complementary medicines and will not see a doctor if they can find a natural alternative. 

She even discloses that her mother, TV personality Jo, helped her Grandmother beat cancer with apricot seeds.

‘As a family we have always been bought up with alternative medicines and homeopathy and have been taught the importance of eating well,’ Leah says. 

‘You are what you eat.

‘I try and stay healthy, I go to the gym, I run, I take vitamins. You can often heal yourself through diet and lifestyle. 

‘I think it is important not to overmedicate. I use homeopathy a lot with my kids and alternative remedies.

• A glass of wine a day does NOT damage your heart health (but…

  Soaring numbers of men WHITENING their skin, global study…

  New wearable app will track seizures in epileptic children…

  Stephen Hawking says millions of lives are in danger as a…

‘Dad is superfit, but he has to be with the two new babies. There’s no great secret to it, as a family we always try to laugh and be happy, even though things can be tough.’

Leah, who is Ronnie’s eldest daughter, says that the family preoccupation with alternative medicines means that they have shunned conventional medicines in the past.

She explains to MailOnline: ‘Nan had breast cancer and mum, who is a big proponent of alternative medicine as well, said “mum, we are going to help you so let’s investigate and get some advice”.

According to his daughter, model and personality Leah, the family secret is healthy eating, happiness and alternative health remedies

‘Nan had different treatments and ate an organic diet including apricot seeds and cured herself. 

‘She had chemotherapy once and that’s when mum said “no more, we can do this ourselves”, much to the dismay of the doctors. 

‘Conventional chemotherapy just breaks down your immune system and makes you weaker so I don’t understand the point. 

‘You should be building up your immune system and fighting the cancer.’

‘Both dad’s brothers had cancer and they thought what’s the point, they carried on drinking and smoking and they died. 

‘Your body is an amazing mechanism. If you do have cancer you can extend your life for a longer time with the right treatments. 

‘People should get some knowledge and see what else there is out there.’

Leah believes the case of her namesake, Leah Bracknall, highlights the poor choices many UK patients are given. 

The Emmerdale actress was diagnosed with lung cancer in December and told the condition was terminal. 

She was prescribed palliative care but refused to accept the diagnosis and researched treatments unlicensed in the UK. 

Her family managed to raise £60,000 to send her to a clinic in Germany which specialises in alternative cancer treatments such as proton therapy, anti-hormone treatment, hypothermia therapy, ozone therapy, detoxification and immune stimulation and personalized antibody treatment.

Leah, who lives in Primrose Hill, North London, says: ‘If I or my kids were in the same position as her I would definitely do the same and go somewhere where I could get treatments like protein therapy to boost the immune system.’

She criticises the MHRA, which licences medicines in the UK and which has been repeatedly targeted for its links to large pharmaceutical companies

It is this belief in wider patient choice that has led Leah to back a campaign against the influence of big pharmaceutical companies on the NHS.

The mother-of-three believes that patients are being prescribed ineffective treatments they often do not need in order to line the pockets of the big drug companies.

Leah has since lent her voice to a campaign to change the government agency which licences medicines in the UK.

‘There are so many alternatives but people do not realise because doctors get paid to prescribe certain medicines such as anti-biotics,’ she adds. 

‘I don’t really trust doctors. They give out everything and anything to people who don’t really know if they are taking something that will help them or not. 

‘What people really need is the knowledge to assess what else is out there for them and the choice to use it.’

Leah believes the case of her namesake, Leah Bracknall, highlights the poor choices many UK patients are given. The Emmerdale actress was diagnosed with lung cancer in December and told the condition was terminal

She criticises the MHRA, which licences medicines in the UK and which has been repeatedly targeted for its links to large pharmaceutical companies.

‘People should have the choice to try other avenues when they are ill,’ she tells MailOnline.

‘Anything is better than keeping these companies in demand and in profit. 

‘The British people deserve better, they are so dependent on these massive pharmaceutical companies and the MHRA keeps the system going and that’s not right. 

‘If people want to go and use specific treatments that are not licenced but are safe, they should have the rights and freedom of choice to do that without being dictated too by pharmaceutical companies.’

Leah is backing a campaign and petition launched in partnership with the National Health Federation calling on Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt to change the structure of the MHRA. 

It wants to remove the influence of pharmaceutical companies, making it independent. 

To show her support and her wish for a better world she recently posed nude in body paint at an eye-catching photoshoot 

She says: ‘In the UK today, medical regulation is not independent. It is a situation that needs to change for the health of the nation, and to give true patient choice. 

‘Big pharmaceutical corporations exert control over UK healthcare regulatory bodies, like the MHRA, which has big pharma directors on its board. 

‘The MHRA is supposed to fight for the best interests of the British public. 

‘As a result, many inexpensive but effective treatments, such as homeopathy, proteins and complimentary medicines, are overlooked or banned in favour of expensive, often ineffective drugs with dangerous side effects, that are highly profitable for the big corporations.’

To show her support and her wish for a better world she recently posed nude in body paint at an eye-catching photoshoot. 

For more information about the campaign and to sign the petition go to http://www.mhramend.uk/